Japan beat South Korea 5-3 to record their second straight World Baseball
Classic title on Monday night, leading star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki to
declare that “God” had descended on him.

Suzuki managed a tie-breaking two-run single in the extra 10th inning to help his side to a victory over their bitter rivals in the Classic final in Los Angeles.

After the tense finish at Dodger Stadium, Suzuki told the Japanese media that: “I’ve got it, you know. God descended on me.”

The 35-year-old’s form has come under scrutiny recently, with accusations that age had taken its toll, but Suzuki remains defiant and said: “It produced a result and I felt I had cleared the barrier.”

The Seattle Mariners man added: “I knew everyone in Japan was focused on me and I was making play-by-play comments to myself at the plate.”

In a reference to the benefit his erratic form has had on opposition sides, he quipped: “I had worn South Korea’s uniform, Cuba’s uniform and the uniforms of various other teams. But finally I wore Japan’s uniform.”

Last season Suzuki recorded his eighth straight 200-hit season to equal a century-long record for Major League Baseball, and was awarded the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards in 2001.

His impressive two-out hit led to huge celebrations in Japan, with the Tokyo Chunichi Sports daily exclaiming: “God descends on Ichiro!”

The news of Japan’s success came as fillip to a nation suffering from recession and political strife. One economist estimated that the Samurai’s victory produced $516 million worth of economic offshoots including merchandise sales, television rights and tourism.

Daily economic paper, Nikkei, claimed in an editorial that: “Asian baseball may be increasingly reconsidered as the birthplace of baseball. The United States, said to not be serious about the event, may feel agitated.”